“I am very well aware,” interrupted the duck, “what your decision is. It is that by our own showing the frog belongs to neither of us, and you will eat him yourself.But please remember that lions do not like frogs.”

“To me,” exclaimed the fox, “it is perfectly clear that you will give the frog to the duck, the duck to me, and take me yourself. Allow me to state certain objections to–”

Suddenly, there came a messenger, bringing an invitation to a ceremony. The Master read the letter, and discovered that it was signed "Wumian the Frog Rider". The Master said: "I cannot tell if a Frog Rider is a frog who rides, or some creature who rides frogs. Since this person uses an ambiguous phrase to name himself, I shall ignore his invitation".

The drifter came and sang a song in Chinese, about Zhuang, "in his garden of butterflies dreaming". The Master instructed him. "Since Zhuang was actually dreaming that he was a butterfly, you should not use a plural form. In his dream, he was one butterfly, not a group of them." The drifter answered respectfully: "Since I was singing in Chinese, I used a noun phrase that is neither singular nor plural. Only if our words are later translated in Western languages could such a mistake occur."

The minister of fights let him in. However, he asked him not to sit down, since all seats were hanging from the ceiling of the room, held by thin threads of wool. Cochonfucius respectfully told the minister that it would be better to put them on the ground.

Once upon a time, three little metaphysicians believed they were architects. The first one was called Baconfucius. He built a Cartesian pantodrome. But Cochonfucius arrived and began to huff and puff. The Cartesianism was scattered, and such was the end of the first pantodrome.

Baconfucius ran quickly to Kryptonfucius' pantodrome, which was a Spinozist one. Unfortunately, Cochonfucius had been following him, and he huffed and puffed again, dispersing all the Spinozism. Such was the end of the second pantodrome.

Baconfucius and Kryptonfucius ran to Dragonfucius' place. His pantodrome was a Heideggerian one, with a big chimney. Cochonfucius, having followed his two victims, huffed and puffed once more, but he could not shatter the clouds of heavy Heideggerianism. So he climbed on top of the pantodrome, in order to see if he could go down the chimney.

However, he inhaled so much Heideggerianism in the process, that he almost became one more Heideggerian creature on this planet. But he recovered, and by chanting "Our body is a tree" for quite a long time, he turned the three little metaphysicians into harmless little empiricists . So he went to his garden to take a nap.

In such conditions, the differences between a given man, and a given beast, become negligible, and do not prevent them both to be reflections of the same undescribable Reality, be it a frog rider, a wild animal, a tame one, a sententious one, or even a flying frog".

To give, the priest explained, is to transfer ownership, without asking for anything in exchange. If I was a Goat living inside a well, I would have plenty of water, so that I would readily give you some of it. Similarly, if I was a trellised vine heavily hung with ripe grapes, or a Stork having cooked a rich dish of meat, I would give you a share of it. But this piece of cheese is the only one I have. If I gave it to you, I would be deprived of it.

As you correctly guessed, Cochonfucius took both halves of the piece of cheese. Just one thing, the food of the Westerners does not suit him at all, even in a dream. If you want to learn about the meaning of animals in dreams, go ask Yake Lakang.

It is said, the priest explained, that cheese cannot be easily obtained from a Raven, nor meat from a Stork, and that grapes are difficult to reach, when they grow on a trellised vine. Thus, before you receive any water from me, you must answer my question.

Thirst is to be preferred, said the Master. If, in years to come, a descendant says "At such and such a time, my ancestor was thirsty", it brings no blame. However, saying "At such and such a time, my ancestor was indebted", blame could follow.

It is said, the priest explained, that grapes are out of reach, and that cheese cannot be easily obtained from a Raven, and that Goats do not readily distribute drinking water. Where are you going now?

It is said, the priest explained, that cheese cannot be easily obtained from a Raven, nor meat from a Stork, and that Goats do not readily distribute drinking water. In this case, things are easier. You could get hold of a great bucket that the peasants have left not far from here. By putting it upside down and climbing upon it, you should be able to reach the grapes.